This year, India is not only gearing up for the T20 World Cup but also for several other tournaments across sports
As we are thoroughly aware, India is
a cricket-crazy nation, and the majority of sports fans in India are cricket fans who cannot look beyond cricket. However, in 2026, India is not only gearing up for the T20 World Cup but also several other major tournaments across sports.
Given we are in the first week of the new year, here are five tournaments and schedules you must note down in your calendar because remember, not just cricketers but all our athletes need our support to do well in the respective tournaments.
ICC T20 World Cup
First and foremost is the ICC T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7. India will open its campaign against the United States of America and is expected to top the group because the rest of the teams in Group A are PAK, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
(Credit- mykhel)
Not just men, but the women’s team will also take part in their T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to go live from June 12. Given India won the World Cup in 2025, the Women in Blue will try to keep the momentum in their favour and lift another major ICC trophy.
BWF World Championship
(Credit-NDTV)
India will host the prestigious BWF World Championship, i.e., the Badminton World Championship, in New Delhi in August. This will be the second time for India to play the host, whereas the tournament will return to Asia after eight years. Since 2011, India has enjoyed a consistent run in the tournament, securing at least one medal. Expectations will be high from the likes of P.V. Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Saina Nehwal, H.S. Prannoy, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty.
Asian Games 2026
(Credit- The Sunday Guardian)
In 2023, India had its best-ever performance in the Asian Games hosted by Hangzhou. The nation finished fourth in the overall medal tally with 107 medals, and therefore, hopes are incredibly high for India to finish in the top three this year in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan. All eyes and cameras will be on Neeraj Chopra, whereas a great performance from India will be an adequate buildup for the 2028 Olympics.
Commonwealth Games 2026
Not just the Asian Games but also the Commonwealth Games are part of India’s sporting calendar this season. The competition will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, and this year, only 10 sports will be part of the competition to keep costs in check. Not to forget, badminton, cricket, hockey, squash, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling, beach volleyball, and rugby sevens were included in the last edition but won’t be a part of the upcoming edition.
Hockey World Cup
Last but not least, India’s Men in Blue in hockey will take part in the 2026 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup, which will be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30. Having won the Asia Cup 2025, India will hope to get its hands on the ultimate glory. After all, India has won the World Cup only once in 1975 and since then, it has been a trophy drought of 51 years.
